Imagine the power that is essential to achieve the first rotation with a locomotive that is sitting idle. Intense, dramatic, clanking steel, tons of fuel, teams of people, one goal in focus, plumes of smoke, unseen energy, and sheer grit. Creates movement!

I haven’t updated my experience at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills(CCFH) in about a year. I’ve recently been asked by many people to share an update. This post is a brief update. (My brief may not be your brief!) 🙂

In February, 2017 I was given the task to take the drive mechanisms of CCFH and move it forward. At that moment the Church was simply at a standstill. Not right or wrong, good or bad, just factually still.

Someday I will write a full detail post of the hard-to-believe experiences I’ve had over the past two years that were necessary to get the rotation and movement going in this complex body of people called the Church. Today is not the blog to post the blood, sweat and tears stories that got us to get our first rotation of movement. Today is a blog to simply say that it is happening! Forward movement. Momentum. Action. Success. Perseverance paid off!

Today is simply a day to encourage you to persevere to momentum. You are facing something that is good and yet it is stuck. Whatever it is, use your head, heart, and gut…surrounded by wise counselors, prayer, and sheer grit to get your thing moving. It’ll test you like nothing else. It’ll make you want to quit…sometimes…every day…every 10 minutes. Depending on what you are facing…you may need to quit. If you need to quit…never quit on a bad day! But in all likelihood, you do not need to quit, you need dig in with grit and persevere with wisdom.

If you are in something stuck…the greatest reasons for the interrupted forward movement, are summed up in 2 C’s. Circumstances, and Critics.

Circumstances. This is usually difficult to mention because it tends to get personal towards the team who led in the past or whoever you are currently in a stuck situation with. But it shouldn’t be personal for the simple fact that times change. What used to be right and worked, doesn’t make it wrong today, it was right, back when it was applied. It’s just the wrong time now and is no longer working and moving. The best way to think about it is this…Nothing fails like success. In other words, when a challenge in life is met by great leadership that is right in their pursuit of accomplishing their goals…they have success! But, as in all things, the challenge changes, it moves to a higher level that the previous methods no longer meet. The old, one successful response no longer works–it fails; thus, nothing fails likes success. Every single one of us would do well to humbly admit this, and welcome the new challenge and new methods to meet those challenges.

When I arrived here at CCFH, I had previously been leading a Church that had more than 3000 people regularly attending our weekend services. I want to humbly and with gratitude inject, in Church world, that is like leading an NFL football team in football world. I came to CCFH and took on the leadership of a Church that had about 300 people regularly attending worship services. The average size Church in America is less than 100, so in sports terms, this new Church I took the lead with, was like leading a High School Football team. An NFL coach, stepping into a local High School Football program…when it comes to football knowledge…is a pretty easy shift. I knew what new things needed to be done to get CCFH moving once again. I also had wise counsel around me, Christ leading me, and the energy to do it. I’m grateful for my track record and experience, however it did not make this momentum shift any easier. Knowledge and getting knowledge done are very different things.

Whatever your circumstances are, depending on your past experience, and the energy level you have today, determines how you move forward. I warn you, DO NOT, try this on your own. You need to humbly allow others to invest in you and your decisions to get your cemented circumstances, free and moving! I’m writing this blog from a 20/20 hindsight perspective. Trust me…there were hundreds of days where I wanted to quit every 10 minutes and so many days where I thought I was going to fail. This feeling of failure was instigated continually by antagonistic critics. This is the second of the two C’s.

Critics. The other C word that will work tirelessly to keep you stuck. I could add yet another C word here… Control. Control is what the critic wants. In Church world, the biggest critic who wants control will do another C word. Cite. They continually cite the past. The “good ol days.”

First of all…There is no such thing as the good ol days. The good ol days simply means that something was working and momentum was happening and everybody except the negative Circumstances and Critics of the time enjoyed it. The good ol days are in the past. Everybody in your life knows that there is no influence that happens with the past. It is a memory to be cherished and that is that. Wisdom can be derived from it, but the past tends to be dangerous to the future. The past used to be right, but rarely is effective for today. (I could share countless examples of this, but I said I’d be brief)

Critics make critical errors when they verbally vomit their desire to control and use the past to cite their opinion. They are more committed to their view, than a you. A critic is right as they cite their past’s success. A critic is not wrong, they are stuck in the past and are perpetuating the stuck-ness of the current circumstances. They are guilty of prioritizing their view more than a you. In Church world, the YOU, must be Jesus and His desire. We all know that Jesus’s greatest desire is to reach the unreached person, and to represent Jesus’s very lifestyle. That is the you that must take priority over every persons view. (By view, I do not mean Biblical integrity…we can never compromise Biblical integrity for a you.) Most critics do not cite Biblical truth as their backbone for being a critic, they tend to cite history and their personal preferences. I personally believe that most critics love their views more than the You named Jesus. They won’t admit that, but their actions prove their priority of who’s views they choose. What do you do with your critics? Listen. Love. Be patient, but do not be pushed around as you stand your ground. Be like Jesus.

If something is stuck, the leadership’s views overrule you’s. If something is stuck, somebody is allowing a view that used to work, stay in place. The reason the leadership allows this, are the influence of the C’s + 1. Circumstances and Critics + low Energy levels = fruitlessness. Critics and downward trending Consequences are giant energy extractors. The longer someone leads and is confronted by the never ending critic and circumstances, the more worn down they become. Add years of this, and an aging leadership’s energy levels are depleted to a point where recovery simply takes too long for the organization to keep moving. Momentum stopped. When momentum stops, the energy that is essential to get that locomotive rolling again is just too great. When the leadership is tired and their views naturally overtake the you’s, the commodity gets stuck. The best solution is to bring in new and freshly energized leadership. If your marriage is stuck, or something smaller than an organization, then the new leadership you bring in, must be in the form of counselors, mentors, and accountability partners or straight up intervention groups.

This critical decision of bringing in the new, takes guts, and I hold all who make it, in high regard. My heart aches for the new person who takes the new roll of leadership of an organization of any kind…especially a Church. The new leadership views that are administered into a momentum-less organization are going to take a beating from the C’s. However, if the new leadership will persevere to momentum, it will succeed. Painfully.

I’m seeing it happen before my eyes. Over the past two years I seriously considered that I had lost my ability to lead well. I seriously thought that I had lost my touch. But, that is just was the C’s were saying. I kept my ears and eyes on the You of all you’s. Jesus. I surrounded myself with teammates who had the energy and expertise and the grit to persevere to momentum. It is working.

I believe with everything in me, that CCFH will someday be a Church that creates such momentum, that more than a 1000 people will call CCFH their home Church every weekend. In this size of town, that would be remarkable. Just last weekend, we experienced 20 brand new people in our Church. We don’t market or advertise…on purpose. These new people were invited. The laughter, joy, new growth, and just sheer fun is making all the C’s worth it. Discipleship is reignited, evangelism is strong, growth is on. Momentum!

The momentum has begun. We are just now in the second and third wheel rotation of the locomotive regaining momentum at CCFH. The fuel reserves are stockpiled, the leadership team is in place, and the momentum is starting to take on its own power. Once a locomotive starts moving… don’t do anything stupid to stop the momentum. Let it keep moving and just guide it from the steering wheel! Here’s what is good news…once momentum starts moving and success is being repeated…the C’s begin to diminish. They never go away…they just lose a ton of power against a locomotive that is moving. Its easy to rob a train when its stopped!

You too can get momentum going in whatever you are facing that is stuck. Check your energy levels. Know you’re circumstances. Know your critics. Surround yourself with wise advisors. Use your grit! It’s worth it. If I can personally assist you with anything, please contact me. I’ll do my best to help you, and if I cannot, I’ll connect you with someone who can.

If you are interested in the CCFH story. Stay tuned. The momentum is just getting started! I can’t wait for the next update. You know the sound of the steam locomotive that is ch-k-ch-k-ch-k-ingalong at a fast pace? If you imagine it, you’ll “hear” it in your head right now. That’s our aim. That’s your aim in every area of life. It doesn’t come easy, but if it is worth doing, it will never ever be easy. Grit on, my friend. You can do it. We got this!

2 Corinthians 5:16…”From now on then, we do not know anyone from a purely human way.”

Do you view people with spiritual eyes? If you view, even your enemy through the eyes of Jesus…it will affect how you treat them…no matter how they treat you. Get your spiritual glasses on and wear them everywhere.

It has been around 365 days since I moved into Fountain Hills AZ, and began my new ministry venture at the Church called Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills.

I am grateful for the large numbers of people that have been watching, praying, and cheering for the Renner family from a distance.

I want to compare my experience to previous ones. I have been in some kind of professional ministry for the past 27 years. The different titles I have been given through those 27 years within the local church have been; Preaching Pastor, Youth Pastor, Associate Pastor, Singles Pastor, First Impressions Pastor, Evangelism Pastor, Church Planter, Merging pastor, Senior Minister, Lead Minister, President of Mission Org, Bible Teacher, and a few titles that I have heard whispered behind closed doors about me. LOL!

All is good. I write this blog to the professional pastor out there and I have one purpose and point in this post. For those who are not a professional pastor, I hope you will read and be challenged to encourage your pastor, who may not always show it in ways you think you need, but he/she loves you and wants to protect you, and prepare you to meet Jesus someday, like nobody else in your life.

Out of all the titles I’ve held over the past 27 years, the current title I hold has been the most challenging and difficult thing I’ve done. The title is best described in its simplest form as Lead Pastor. But that title is not the best description of my title. The real title, in the eyes of those my position has affected the most, is …”Our Next Pastor.”

It is a legitimate title, because I have been called it too many times to count in just the last year. Its not a bad title and in all honesty it really is the most fitting title for the situation. I’m good with the title.

After 26 years of very successful ministry endeavors, this year 27 has had me feeling like I didn’t have a clue in what I was doing. In the past 27 years, I have been more of a church planter type lead pastor than anything else. So when I transitioned into the role of “our next pastor” to replace a retiring founding pastor who had tenure for 33 years, I really had no idea what I was getting into. And I got into it thick! From what I’ve been told or have read about other pastors who have transitioned into the role of “our next pastor”… I’ve had it pretty good. In fact this isn’t my first rodeo with trying to be the “our next pastor.” I tried it once in a church in FL and literally quit 7 weeks into it. It just wouldn’t be right to share the gory details of that hardship my family encountered…but… all that to say, becoming “our next pastor” is not for the faint of heart. It is not fun, but it is good. It literally is the hardest thing I’ve done in professional ministry. So…what’s my main point here? Keep reading…

Many USA resources are stating that around 10,000 baby boomers, people born between 1946-1964, are retiring everyday right here in the good ol USA… and will continue to do so until 2036. Google it, its crazily true. Calculate that and it equals more than 80 million people retiring in the next 19 years.

I believe it is fair for me to guess, then, that there will be a multitude of founding pastors in that mix of retirees. Which means there will be multitudes of “our next pastors” stepping into their shoes, picking up their torches, or taking their batons. For those who are about to step into the shoes of those retiring founding pastors, please heed my words of warning.

There is nothing more leadership intensively difficult, nothing more hazardous to orchestrate, nothing more uncertain in its success, that will leave you feeling isolated and abandoned, than to fill the shoes of a retiring-founding pastor, and be the one who introduces a new era of influence. You, serving as ‘Our Next Pastor’ will have enemies in all those who love the old form, and at best, lukewarm support in all those who will benefit by the new. So, for God’s sake, for the Church’s sake, for the lost’s sake, for a troubled world’s sake, look forward, move forward, dig deep, for the very reason this situation is happening, is because the current status quo isn’t working anymore. Lead on, O’ leader, lead on! You only need the solid rock on which you stand, to be your inspiration…Jesus…to remind you that He can do immeasurably more than you dare to ask or hope for! So persist, press on, endure! Let Jesus be your only audience you desire to please, and He alone must be your faith, your hope, and your love. You are the, ‘our next Pastor’! You got this!

If I can personally visit with you over the phone, email, or at a table, with a hot cup of coffee or Dr. Pepper with a wedge of lime squeezed in it, please just ask. I’ve been taking extremely thorough notes through this adventure. I am seeing success. More time will tell the truth in how I’m doing. It has become vividly clear to me why churches struggle to produce fruit beyond the 100, 200, & 400 growth barriers. I can help you! I know I will pump you up!! 🙂 And even more, I know I would also learn from you. I’d be grateful to swap stories with you, compare scars, celebrate our victories, cry through the heart wrenching experiences our families face as we lead people to experience God, and most of all, I simply want to encourage you, and have you walk away with shining eyes!

This is really, really good work we do. Of course it is hard. It reminds us how alive we really are.

Oh, what a great day. ( I will post pics when I return home…the Wifi is painfully slow here.)

I awoke to one of the most beautiful mornings I’ve ever had.The weather was slightly overcast with no rain, but a cool 65 degrees.Uganda is on the Equator and everything is so very green.Palm trees pressed against mango and papaya trees.Lush hedges, green grass.You just really need to see it for yourself.Sam was running late this morning so I simply grabbed a chair and took it just outside the small cafe/kitchen of the hotel…took my coffee with me and just soaked it all in.It was a moment of refreshing and gratefulness.

Sam arrived about 40 minutes later and we went inside and had some breakfast.The way to explain the breakfast would be to simply call it a breakfast burrito.Africa has their version of flatbread…but its thinner than flatbread.Maybe it could be Africa’s version of a tortilla…but it thicker than a tortilla…its called chapati.They have the most wonderful egg omelets….they cook them very thin.Then they take the omelet and lay it on the chapati and roll it like an awesome breakfast burrito.Africa is known for tea so there is plenty of it to drink.It was nearly a perfect morning.The only thing missing was you!

When breakfast was finished we gathered up our daily items of water bottles and bags, mosquito repellent. (BTW…there are hardly any mosquitos this trip…it’s the rainy season and there seem to be very few.), a few snacks and we were off to the 15 minute drive to Sam’s School called, “Wings of Grace.”

The children at the school were ready.When I got out of the car you could hear the shrills of excitement and you could see the children waving their welcomes!Today was a day of presentations and celebrations.Dancing, singing, laughing, playing.Pure Joy!I was treated like a guest of honor.So many children introducing themselves in front of the whole school.Singing with great passion, loudness, rhythm, and spectacular African dancing.These children know how to dance.It is obvious that they feel the music when they dance!You must come witness it with me.

The presentation went on for an hour or two. The teachers of the school acted out a play that made all my smile muscles ache.The children were given gifts from some left over Samaritan’s purse Christmas boxes and this really created a buzz of joy.When the celebration was over, I was hugged and thanked for helping them have better lives.It is quite an emotional experience.The people of Bugiri Uganda are so grateful and they express it with purity back to God and anybody who has blessed their lives.

I climbed back into the car and it was time to go and visit some fresh water wells that we have been able to provide.These visits are exciting to me.It requires that we travel deeper into the African bush.We get out of town and head into the equator of the earth.It is beautiful.So much untouched natural creation.You see it like God created it and it is breathtaking.And then you arrive to meet God’s favorite of all creation…his people.Many of these people, out in the African bush, have not seen white people.I scared many children! LOL.It is quite an experience to be the only white person for miles and miles.Even if they have seen a white person, it is rare and fascinating to them.It is a strange experience.These people of God’s creation are beautiful and expressive…and in great desperation of the very things we in America take for granted.Clean water.There is much food in Uganda.My trip this time brought me right into the middle of mango season.Theyare EVERYWHERE.The ground is littered with mangos.It is a time of joy for the kids.As we drive down the roads…more like cattle trails instead of roads…you can see little village mud huts and outside are children climbing the mango trees or a group of them standing under a mango tree with a long stick trying to knock off the fresh mango fruit about to fall.When you greet the children this time of year and shake their hands…they are very sticky from the sugar of mangos.Its not gross…its funny.Nothing a little wash of the hands from the new fresh water borehole won’t take care of!

The boreholes…aka…fresh water wells that are hand pumped…provide the cleanest freshest water you’ve seen.We visited one in a village called Sanika that was drilled in the shade of some huge trees…some of them mango trees.It seemed the water came out ice cold and as clear as I’ve ever seen it.Prior to receiving this borehole the people would have to walk about 2 miles, one direction, to carry water back from a diseased water hole.This water hole is at the low point of the area, so all the rainwater running off the land and picking up animal feces and dead animal carcass disease with it.Then the people have no choice but to drink it.It is their only option.Until you came into the picture.Thank you for teaming with me and Return Hope.We are providing fresh water wells to people who have never had fresh water in their lives.

When the well begins to pump…and the people begin to drink the fresh water.I am convinced you can witness them getting healthier already.Fresh water wells changes the life of someone immediately.Their kidneys and liver begin to function properly because they are loaded down with water born diseased and bacteria.Skin diseases go away.Nobody should have to drink dirty water in the 21 century.Thank you.

We are in process of actually drilling 7 fresh water holes as you are reading this.Each borehole can easily serve 10,000 people.That is a lot of changed lives.That is a lot of thankfulness.You can imagine my day as we traveled and visited these fresh water wells.The people knew we were coming and they were excited.The came bearing gifts of nuts, mangos, chickens.We had to accept their gifts.Our trunk of the car was full.We simply take the gifts back to the school children in town.It is a win/win for everybody.We were in some very poor villages or we would have probably had several goats given to us as well.

One of the wells we drilled recently…had a problem and dried up.We don’t know why.But, we promise the people that Return Hope will never leave something that goes wrong undone.You and I both know that things can go wrong.So…it was exciting for me to show up and tell the people who’s well had gone dry that the drilling rigs would be following behind the new water surveyors and that a new well would be drilled within the next 14 days.It feels good to prove our integrity.I’m almost grateful for the well drying up, because it gave me a chance to prove I’m a man of my word.The people were so grateful.Imagine how concerned they must have felt after having fresh water for 6 months and then seeing the well literally go dry.I imagine the people felt deep desperation thinking they would have to return to the diseased water source. Again…it didn’t take long for us to solve the problem.We found out the drilling company we were using…didn’t actually survey that specific water well location.The locals told us they never brought out a surveyor like they usually do, or what is professionally called a geophysical surveyor equipment that identifies where great underwater sources are.So…we fired that company and intervieweda new one and we are convinced this one will not try to cheat us.Time tells all things!We are able to fix any problems with the wells without any extra costs to the donor who gave the money for the well to be drilled.God is good….he provides, if you trust Him!

Return Hope charges 7000.00 US dollars for a fresh water borehole.You can’t beat that price…and I promise you we do it with the best materials for drilling and pumping.The water wells and the land are given as a gift to the community.Nobody but God owns that water well and the people respect it and desperately need it.I’ll post pictures when I return.

That is what we did the rest of the day.It began to get dark and the rain clouds were looking pretty dark and were approaching.As the sun was setting I got to ride in the car back out of the African bush and into town.Again…Uganda isn’t nicknamed “The Pearl of Africa” for no reason.You must see it with your own eyes.

I’m considering a short trip in October.I think I can get us all back here for about 5 days on the ground for a very good price.Do you think you could scramble raising some funds and join me?October is one of the cheapest times to fly to Africa.That is the biggest expense.I don’t bring people to Africa to make money.I do all I can to break even on the costs.I promise you we will do a quick mission trip at the cheapest price I can get you.You must come with me.You’ll never be the same.

I’m preparing to leave Africa today.I have a 3 hour drive back into the city of 5 million.Kampala Africa.My plane doesn’t leave until 11:30 pm.I think I have just finally adjusted to the 10 hour time change…but with only 3 days on the ground…it’s time to be thrown off my time clock again.It can be a pretty brutal flight.I won’t lie to you.But it’s worth it.

I love you and I’m grateful you have read along this journey with me.Thank you for investing in Return Hope, financially.If you are not doing so, would you please consider it?

Jesus did so much for each of us.We must return the love in anyway we can.I can’t think of a better place or a better people, or a better need than those of Uganda.